Add-on Follow/Unfollow option

There is no default option for members to unfollow someone who is following them. Nor is there an option, where when a member clicks on Follow, a request is sent to the other member, giving them the option to accept, ignore or decline.

Sometimes members follow another member who doesn't want that person to follow them or some members who leave the site, remain on the members follow list and theres no way for the member to remove them.

An add-on giving members the freedom of who adds them to their follow list will be great.

I searched also and could not find this--we have found a member who followed 500+ members, including dead accounts, and we've had two requests now from members to get this person out of their "following me" list.

I might have to find out how to do this via the database for now. But it would be nice to have the ability to let us approve of those who follow us, along with the option to remove them. We don't want to ignore the user, as their forum posts may be OK...there are some, though, which we do not want following our every move.

Just thinking about it here. Unfollowing really does no good, as the member can start following again. To unfollow and then block the user would be more appropriate.

I think the only way that this could be done is with an overhaul of the entire "follow" system, which would include a way to turn the feature completely on or off, a permissions system (so staff could control who uses it), a way for members to remove followers, a way for members to approve who follows them, a way for members to block a specific member or all members from following them, etc. I know there is an existing thread but I'm going to take time later to write up a formal "suggestion" which will extend what was discussed in this thread (which only discusses removing followers...and my post therein was pretty much buried).

This has escalated now on our forum to where we have members complaining about who is following, especially suspect accounts who sign up and suddenly follow one or two members. Or, some members who stalk others around and crap on their threads, cause problems, harass via PM when member posts something they don't like, etc. We had one last night with the name of "Watcher" who signed up to follow just one member. I mean, c'mon, like that's not for an illicit purpose?

These problems come out when you have an active forum with 1400+ visitors online during peak hours and 10 million+ posts. Well, that and some members are just plain whacked.

Sorry to bump an old thread but we are now encountering this issue ourselves.
Also even after blocking, under the followers list, it will still show as that person following, and their avatars etc.
Would be nice to see what we can do about this as it could be an idea to manage followers?